sock puppet wrote:Yes, it is a long and storied history of demonizing dissent. Still, my favorite episode is the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor. That was truly a watershed moment in tolerance of dissent and free speech. And it is so fun to see the lame defenses TBMs give for what is about as anti-American conduct as there is.
why me wrote:Putting the episode into context would help. Here are the saints in Nauvoo, building a successful city to live in peace after years of persecution. In Warsaw there is an antimormon press igniting mob justice and a constant threat to the Mormons of nauvoo. Nothing wrong with freedom of the press here to incite people against a specific group. I do believe that that paper just may be closed down if it existed today.
But here comes william law the former member who disagrees with Joseph Smith adding to the hatred and incitement. After years of persecution Joseph and town council with the support of the citizens of nauvoo decide to close down the press. And they did.
Afterwards Joseph attempts to make amends but to no avail. However previously, Mormon presses and homes were destroyed without a problem. No conviction there.
The hypocrisy of the event is there for all to see.
why me, there are many families of murder victims for which the murderer is never found or gets acquitted for lack of evidence, procedural irregularities in the courts, etc. Do you think it is justifiable if these victims' families go out and kill someone that had nothing to do with the first murder? That's the context, after all, why me.
Do you give the child molester a bye because the context is that he was himself as a child the victim of child abuse? Hell, no, you put him away.
Usually victims support the law more than if they had not been victimized, even if they feel the law has inadequately addressed the crime. For example, many who survive a horrific crime will themselves become prosecutors or victim's rights attorneys, to help and work WITHIN the legal system.
You keep up with the canard about the Mormon press in Missouri having been destroyed. Was that by the misuse and abuse of government power? Or was that a private group doing so? If I recall correctly, it did not involve any governmental power. That is what makes Joseph and Hyrum Smith's destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor so heinous--they abused their offices as mayor and city councilman, respectively.